Courage
by Addicted-to-NCIS
Summary: Will a little grey kitten named Junior, help Gibbs to have the courage to tell Kate how he feels? - oneshot - REWRITTEN


**Disclaimer:** Don't own the character, but if I did Kate would definitely still be alive…

**A/N:** Yay, bring Junior back!

**/-x-x-x-/**

Gibbs stared out the big panel windows, it was dark out. He glanced down at his watch _'Probably because it's 8:38pm,'_ he told himself. He had only come out of interrogation half an hour ago. It had been a tough case which the team investigated for weeks; it sure was going to have it affects in the next couple of days. It was even harder for Gibbs as he had to work closely with a certain woman which he admired so much. He then had to concentrate twice as hard as the other, one, to solve and the case and two, to hide his feelings for Kate.

"Go home," Gibbs told his team. He smiled to himself, watching McGee quietly gather his belongs and then rush off towards the lift. He remembered McGee proudly telling DiNozzo he had a date that night. DiNozzo groaned as he stiffly got up and packed his things into his back pack.

"Goodnight Boss, 'night Kate," he walked for the lift not waiting for any replies.

Kate leant back in her desk chair looking around at the semi lit bullpen. She had decided earlier that it didn't feel right to be home alone, she would rather be at work with the man which she can't stop thinking about, not even when she was sleeping. She saw him move from him desk to stand in front of her.

"Go home Kate," he said.

"I just got a bit of paper work I want to get done before I leave," she replied softly

"Kate," he whispered, she looked up at him. Staring at each other Kate broke the silence first

"It's ok Gibbs. I _want_ to finish this before I leave," she said again, returning back to the paper spilled out over her desk. She didn't look up when he moved back to his desk, rather she picked up a pen and started writing things down on paper. She quickly wiped away a tear as soon as it rolled down her cheek, hoping that Gibbs didn't see. _'I can't let them see my soft feminine side. A federal cop has to be strong!'_ she thought to herself. Kate tried hard to concentrate but her eyes felt so heavy and kept closing. Yawning she put the pen down, folding her arms out on her desk she rested her head and closed her eyes.

Gibbs arranged his computer so it sat on the corner of his desk; he had lost all interest of the content that appeared on the screen. He stared over at Kate sleeping his phone rang making him jump.

"Gibbs,"

"_Hi, I thought you would have gone home?"_

"Nah, just finishing some stuff up,"

"_Who else is in the office,"_

"Just Kate and myself,"

"_Could you come down to my lab, I got a problem,"_ Gibbs sat up straight in his chair

"Are you in danger?" he asked

"_No, no. Um just come down when you're ready,"_ Abby said before hanging up. Gibbs stood up taking his jacket from behind his desk he walked towards Kate and draped it over her shoulders to keep her warm.

"Sleep tight, my Kate" he whispered then strolled over to the lift pressing the button he waited. _'Maybe Abby can help me to figure out a way to tell Kate how I feel' _he thought walking into the lift.

Gibbs entered the lab hearing music coming from the back room he headed back there were he saw Abby sitting on the floor.

"Ok, I'm Abby. What's up?" Abby didn't look up but was flinging a piece of red string around her a small grey kitten to play with.

"Him,"

"This is what the emergency is about?" he asked, squatting down near Abby. The kitten lost all interest in the string and bounced over to Gibbs to investigate this new stranger. He patted the little kitten head as the cat pushed his tiny head against Gibbs palm.

"See I rang my land lord earlier this afternoon and he said that I can't have pets, so what am I going to do with him?" Abby asked, Gibbs sighed and sat down on the cold floor crossing his legs.

"Well what am I supposed to do?"

"Take him home with you," Abby pleaded. Gibbs looked down at the kitten crawling all over his legs, smiling he put a finger under his chin and started to tickle him. The kitten stretched out his chin and purred softly, only then did Gibbs notice that the kitten had the same colour fur to his hair and blue eyes.

"Does he have a name?" Gibbs asked.

"Yeah, Junior," replied Abby. Gibbs stared her. "Well he looks like you, plus he reminded me so much of you," Abby said, getting up moving across to grab her jacket. Gibbs cupped his hands together with Junior curling up inside them.

"Hey, Abs," Gibbs said softly seeing Junior close his eyes ready for sleep.

"Yeah?" she answered coming back over

"Um… it's about Kate"

"Why? What's wrong?" she asked anxiously

"Oh nothing, it's just…" but Gibbs couldn't find the right words to describe how he feels.

"You like her?" Abby asked, looking over at him nodding his head in confirmation. "Show Junior to her, us girls like cute fury animals," she suggested looking at Junior in his hands.

"But what do I say?" he asked, getting up carefully as to not disturb the kitten from its sleep.

"Just tell her how you feel,"

"But what if she rejects them?" he asked

"Why is it always hard for guys to say how they feel. Trust me she won't!" Abby replied as she started the process of shutting down her machines.

"What is that supposed to mean?" he demanded.

"Nothing," she replied with a smile.

"Where did you get Junior?" Gibbs asked when Abby joined him at the lift.

"Dunno really. He just appeared in my lab," Abby replied with a shrug and went back to work.

Gibbs entered the bullpen still while Junior in his arms. He walked over to Kate, he placed the kitten down on the desk and was about to shake her shoulder when she mumbled. "Come back to bed" he stared down at her, his gut began to churn _'What if it's DiNozzo she likes? Or McGee, nah he's not her type. I just hope I am' _he thought but soon enough his queries would be answered.

"Gibbs…" she called out, Gibbs saw a small smile spread across her lips. His heart skipped a beat, she was dreaming about _him!_ His heart began to race, not from fear but excitement _'Does this mean she might be harvesting the same feelings?' _ He couldn't wait another second he had to know exactly how she felt. He softly shook her shoulder; she lifted her head and opened one eye. "Gibbs!" she whispered a little shocked. Kate sat up making his jacket fall behind her, she turned around and pulled it out from behind her. She clung onto it tightly wishing so much she could bury her face in his jacket breathing in his scent.

"Kate, um…" he stuttered.

"Who is this little guy?" Kate asked as Junior bounced towards her.

"Kate I'm trying to tell you something important," he barked, she stopped patting the kitten and look up into his eyes.

"I'm not sure how long I have felt like this but, I like you a lot," he muttered but Kate could only smile at his response, which confused Gibbs greatly resulting in making him frown.

"Does this little guy have a name?" Kate asked, changing the subject.

"Junior, but aren't you at all going to say anything about how I feel towards you?" he asked impatiently.

"So when can we take him home?" Kate asked, patting he kitten once more.

"Wait… what did you say?"

"I like you to Gibbs, just never had the courage to tell you how I feel," Kate replied, watching him rush over to his desk gathering his things. "I guess that means we are going!" Kate said to Junior as she to gathered up her belongings. Kate picked up Junior and walked over to the lift with Gibbs hand around her waist.

**- The End -**


End file.
